Dordogne resident claims to catch 1,300 asian hornets in a day using this technique

HOMEMADE CONCOCTION OF ALCOHOL AND SYRUP ATTRACTS AND TRAPS HORNETS BUT REPELS BEES KEEPING POLLINATORS SAFE A farmer in south-west France is using a homemade trap that he claims has caught

over 1,000 Asian hornets in one day, in a bid to keep the insects from causing damage.  The homemade trap – made of alcohol and syrup – aims to capture founder queens that are capable of

forming hives and leading to swarms of hornets in an area. These queens do not die out during the winter as other hornets of the species do but go into hibernation, waking up at the

beginning of spring when temperatures get warmer to go and found a hive. Capturing the hornets is particularly important now not only to stop the proliferation of nests, but to prevent the

destruction of other insect ecosystems including bees.  The animals are dangerous to humans, pets, and agriculture – one farmer said up to half of annual production from beehives can be lost

after a nearby Asian hornet infestation to media outlet TF1.  They cause up to €12 million in damages per year to farmers with beehives. Several mairies now provide free traps to capture

hornets including queens. HOMEMADE TRAPS SAVE MONEY IN THE LONG RUN Those looking to capture the hornets themselves can do so via a simple homemade concoction. Farmer Patrick Loubet, from

the Dordogne, uses a simple homemade concoction of beer, grenadine syrup, and white wine. “You put three quarters of a beer in a can, and the same amount of white wine… [a biq squirt] of

grenadine syrup and I finish with a big glass of liquid sugar. You shake it up and put the can horizontally,” he said to TF1.  The alcohol in the mixture attracts hornets but the wine repels

bees, keeping them safe from harm. Using this remedy, which costs only a few euros (it is possible to buy the cheapest version of these ingredients), the farmer was able to capture 1,300

hornets in a 24-hour period according to TF1.  “I never thought I'd catch so many in such a short space of time,” he said.  Read more: Now is the time for many to install Asian hornet

traps in France